Day 2

Natsu watched as Levy stood over the box containing himself and the other guys, cooing at them and trying to pet a few of them. The largest black one, Gajeel, was swatting at her hand, trying to keep her from touching him but she manage to get a few ear scratches in before moving on to a kinder cat. Natsu didn't miss the way he would watch her while she pet another kitten.

Laxus was in the corner, trying not to be seen though his bright yellow fur wasn't helping his cause in the least. Gajeel was trying for Levy's attention but rejecting it as soon as she tried anything. Natsu thought that was the dumbest thing ever of course. Jellal was just looking around and watching, ignoring the hand the reached out to pet him from time to time. Elfman was passed out in the corner opposite of Laxus and was showing no signs of waking up while Gray was just cowering in a shady spot of the box, trying to disappear into the shadows.

From the other side of the door, Lucy's voice could be heard and that made Natsu's ears perked up. He thought that if Lucy was here, that he would manage to get her attention and then she would realize who he was! This was too good to be true!

While he was thinking of his plan, Mirajane asked her why she was so happy that morning.

"'Cause I woke up in my bed alone for once! No Natsu hogging all of my blankets!"

That immediately made the pink cat pause and listen. Lucy didn't like him sleeping in her bed? But that's what teammates did! They spent their time together and stuff like that!

"HA!" Natsu whipped his head around, scowling at the grinning black kitten that sat on the opposite side of the box from me. "I guess she really doesn't like your company, huh, lava breath?" Natsu wanted to say something so bad but Gray was scooped up by Wendy to be pet and cuddled.

In the background, pink cat ears could pick up Cana's voice this time. "What, you don't like sleeping with Natsu? He can't be THAT bad in bed!"

Said male tilted his head. "How can I be bad in bed? I'm a great sleeper! What is she talking about?"

"Tch." He glanced at Gajeel, hoping he was about to answer the question. "You really are an idiot."

"Like you're any better, bolts-for brains!"

"At least I know what they're talking about!"

"You wanna go?!"

"Hell yeah!"

"Kitties!" Wendy cooed, interrupting the bickering. "Please don't fight!" She set Gray back down where she found him and stroked the fighting cats.

Just then, the door opened and footsteps entered the room, and Natsu could see Lucy peer over the box, silently looking at each of them. Her brown eyes were wide in awe. The Dragon Slayer couldn't help but stare into them until she looked away to Levy, who was explaining how they got here in the first place.

As Levy tried to convince Lucy to take one of the box kittens, Natsu tuned out, his mind wandering back to his plan and to what Cana was implying exactly what he was so awful at? Sleeping? Is it possible to sleep 'badly'?

He was jerked from his thoughts as he felt himself being lifted into the air. He didn't get motion sick for once, but that's probably because Levy isn't exactly transportation. He was, a little too harshly, shoved into Lucy's hands. "This one seems to like you!" Levy declared, smiling.

Lucy ran her fingers through the pink coat, scratching behind the ear a few times. He couldn't help but purr at how amazing it felt- it was just instinct and it was too amazing! It was better than getting a massage! Or beating Gray!

Lucy asked if Charle understood what Natsu was saying, and honestly, he was torn by her negative response- on one hand, that was awful because they couldn't communicate. On the other hand, he rather glad she couldn't. The guys were already giving him strange looks from being in the blonde's arms and enjoying it like he was.

The woman lifted the kitten up until they met eye-to-eye and stared. It was rather obvious she wasn't sure how to hold a cat properly, but he tried to ignore the pressure in his stomach from the awkward position.

Levy was saying that if the kittens didn't get homes soon, they would have to go to the local shelter and would run the risk of being put to sleep. In other words, they would be put down... so their lives were in the hands, as dramatic as it sounded, of Lucy, Juvia, Levy, and any other guild members who would take them home. Maybe Juvia would take Gray home, though she was a bright person and stuff, she had a slightly gothic side- she like black and intense things. And Gray's fur was an intense color.

So Natsu did the only thing he could think to do in a situation like this. He purred and licked her nose, securing a spot away from the shelter. Amazingly, it seemed to work. She gave one last sigh before saying "Fine. I'll take this one."

Natsu rubbed against her chin in a loving and thankful gesture, ignoring the snickers he heard from Gajeel and Gray. Gray was cut off as he was snatched by Juvia, quickly followed by Gajeel as he was claimed by Levy. The three girls were fawning over their pets now and talking to each other about what they were going to do when they got home later.

"What's going on in here?" Someone entered the room, and all the cats nearly jumped out of their fur when they heard Erza's unmistakable voice. And as usual, she didn't sound happy. Levy explained the situation to her as she handed the redhead Jellal in cat form. Everyone in the room noticed Jellal staring intently into Erza's eyes- in fear or in something else was up for determination. After a minute, he seemed to become wary of how long he had been looking, and decided to just avoid her gaze, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Having fun?" Natsu teased.

"Shut up!" Jellal hissed at him before turning the other way, as if instinctively trying to hide the blush hidden under his fur.

Erza grinned at Jellal, deciding she'd take him home, which only seemed to fluster the poor cat even more. After that, Evergreen, who entered with Erza, decided on taking Elfman, who didn't look happy about it in the slightest.

Wendy took the last cat, Laxus, out to Mirajane at the bar, she would take care of him until Mira was off of work and could take him home. She secretly hoped that he would be a guild cat she could see anytime.

"Alright!" Levy said as she cuddled her cat to her face, probably bursting Gajeel's eardrum in the process. "Now that they all have homes, all that's left are names!"

'Names?' Natsu thought with a frown. 'This can't be good...'

"Juvia will name hers Gray-kun!" The rain woman declared.

Lucy's slight smile turned into a slight frown. "Juvia..." She began, "Don't you think Gray would be a little creeped out if you name a cat after him?"

Juvia looked back down at Gray, gently stroking him. "Juvia supposes that's true..." She looked back up at Lucy. "Then she will name the cat Snowflake."

"But the cat is bla-" Lucy's protests were cut off as Levy clamped a hand over her mouth.

"That's a great name, Juvia!" Waiting until the other bluenette was distracted by Gray, she leaned over to Lucy and whispered, "Just let her name the cat Snowflake!"

The pink cat let out a snicker from his new owner's arms. "Cool name, Snowflake." Gray growled (or hissed) in response.

"Erza, what are you going to name yours?" Gajeel's new owner asked.

"Great..." Jellal muttered, mostly to himself. "I'm gonna get a stupid name."

Natsu turned to look at him as best he could from within the celestial mage's arms. "But Erza's naming you!"

He returned the stare before uttering a curt "exactly".

Erza seemed to think for a moment.

'I bet he'll get a cool name, like Fang or something... or is that a dog name?' Natsu thought

"I'll name him... Strawberry!" Natsu glanced back at Jellal to see him giving him an 'I-told-you-so' look. How is it he knows her even better than I do?! It's not like he's been with her the past 10 years!

Levy sighed at Erza. "Sure, why not. It's your cat..." She then smiled and looked at Evergreen. "What about you?"

The Raijinshuu member smirked. "Fluffy." The boys couldn't help but laugh at the horrified look on the white cat's face.

"F-Fluffy?!"

"Aww, that's a cute name!" Lucy smiled. "It's very fitting!" This time, Gajeel and Gray joined in on the laughter.

"Levy, have you thought of a name?" Lucy asked, still giggling.

Said girl nodded. "Two, actually, but I can't choose..."

"Well, what are they?"

She smiled. "I'm thinking either Dimmesdale, or Crowfeather."

Juvia frowned at her. "Crowfeather? What kind of name is that for a cat?"

"Says the girl who named a black cat Snowflake..." Lucy muttered.

Levy pouted at her friend. "It's from a book! He's a grumpy black cat! And he was named after Feathertail, a she-cat he loved that died! I think it's sweet!"

"And the other one?" Erza asked.

"Dimmesdale is from The Scarlet Letter, he's the father of Hester's kid who was born when her husband had been missing for three years. They describe him as being young and handsome with dark features, and everyone looks up to him!"

"As if that's anything like you, Gajeel!" Gray sneered at the Dragon Slayer, who didn't look too happy about the description. "I mean, that guy even gets a babe!"

"Like you have room to talk, you asexual bastard!"

"What did you call me?!"

"You heard me, Snowball!"

"It's not my fault she named me!"

"Well," Erza spoke up, "he certainly isn't charming with all that hissing. I'd go with the grumpy cat's name." The other girls nodded in agreement.

"Alright, Crowfeather it is!" The book nerd smiled, hugging Gajeel to her tiny chest. The cat stiffened, feeling awkward. "Alright, now all that's left is Lu-chan's cutie!"

'Come on, Luce!' Her kitten prayed to whatever powers there may be. 'Give me a cool name!'

"I've been thinking..." she slowly began, as if trying to torture me with the suspense, "he feels kind hot and since his fur reminds me of fire, I'll call him Flame!"

"YES!" Flame shouted, "I knew I could count on you, Luce!"

Gray let out a low hiss. "You're just lucky Lucy chose you instead of a weird girl like Juvia..."

Natsu grinned. There was no way he was ever going to let the Ice Queen live this down.

"Jealous, Snowflake?" Gajeel snarled.

"Like youre one to talk, Crowfeather!" Gray shot back, instigating another hissing war.

"I should probably bring him home," Natsu looked up at Lucy as she spoke. "Im going on a mission today so I can pay my rent. Its my first solo mission in a long time."

"Where are you going?" Wendy asked, hugging Charle.

"To defeat some kind of beast that's been stealing wild game from village not too far from here. It shouldn't take me too long."

"Well you should still be carefull Lucy-san," Juvia said.

"I will," Lucy turned and began walking away from the group of women. "See you guys later!"